FAFSA aids transfer student success through grants and scholarships

East Los Angeles College financial aid office hosted Financial Aid Transfer Workshop for students planning to transfer or will be this upcoming school year.

Twice a year, the financial aid office brings a representative from the California State University of Los Angeles and University of California Los Angeles to explain how financial aid works at both institutions.

Daniel Mejia and Jonathan Choy from CSULA gave a presentation regarding the importance of filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid is an application students need to fill out to determine their financial aid eligibility for the academic school year.

To apply for FAFSA students must be a citizen of the United States, have a valid social security number, high school diploma, be enrolled in an eligible program seeking a degree or certificate, not have a conviction and maintain a satisfactory academic progress. Students must complete the application by March 2.

Students who apply after the March 2 deadline will not be given full aid from their school. Applications for the 2019-2020 academic year open Oct. 1.

“Making sure students get their FAFSA application in before the March 2 deadline is crucial. Helping students know what resources they have is important so they can all achieve their dreams. Money should never be a barrier to make you stop attending school,” said Mejia.

Apart from FAFSA students can receive grants from the federal government. The Pell Grant is awarded to undergraduate students who have not earned a bachelor’s or a professional degree.

The typical award for students who are receiving the Pell Grant is $6,095. This award is a federal award and students must be a U.S. citizen to receive the award.

The Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant is awarded to students with exceptional financial need.

Not all schools participate to give the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant. The typical award can range from $100 to $4,000 per year.

The state of California offers Financial Aid to students who continue their studies in state. California grants will offer up to $12,630 depending on what four-year institution students attend. Students who attend a California State University may qualify for the State University Grant.

The award can give undergraduates up to $5,742. If students receive the California Grants, they cannot receive the State University Grant